Reason: In Schneier on Security, you emphasize that technology isn’t the only (or even the most important part) of a security solution. Why do people tend to systematically discount cultural and economic factors in considering questions of security?

Schneier: We live in a technological world, and it’s common for us to believe that technology can solve our security problems. It solves so many of our other problems, so it’s a plausible belief. It’s also easier to believe that a shiny new piece of technology—a new ID card, a new airport scanner, a new face-recognition system—can solve our problems than boring old concepts like culture and economics. Admitting that technology isn’t the answer is admitting that there isn’t an answer that will solve the problem, and many people can’t do that yet. We’ve forgotten that risk is an inherent part of life.